[no title] 1981

Editor: This untitled print by Richard Smith features stacked geometric forms. The upper section is a dark mass, seemingly precariously balanced. What do you make of its composition? Curator: The overlay of shapes creates an interesting tension. Notice the contrast between the solid block at the base and the more fragmented, layered forms above. Editor: Yes, the textures also seem to vary quite a bit. Curator: Indeed. The work’s strength lies in its formal arrangement: the dialogue between opacity and transparency, weight and lightness, all within a defined pictorial space. Editor: So the meaning is found in these formal relationships? Curator: Precisely. The artist invites us to consider the properties of form itself. Editor: I see it now! Thanks! Curator: My pleasure.